Or, Evaluate the character of Sir Roger De Coverley.
Or, Write a brief character sketch of Sir Roger de Coverly in the light of the essays prescribed for your study.
Answer: Couthop has observed, “The figure of Sir Roger, though it belongs to the bygone stage of the society, is as durable as durable as human nature itself.” Cagamian has also said that the character of ‘the personage of Sir Roger lived enough to have taken place amongst the well-known creation in literature.’ Another critic has said that the character of Sir Roger is the genial dictator of the life of the quiet country. In fact, the portrayal of Sir Roger’s character has been taken by Steele at first the portrayal of his character speaks for his great power of drawing character and Steele has called him a baronet of ancient descent and his chars cater is marked by a certain singularity. This singularity proceeds from his good senses. It is Addison who takes the crude outlines of Sir Roger’s character and the credit for its success goes to him as a creator. In this respect Macaulay proclaims. “Addison took the crude outlines, coloured them, retouched them and is in truth, the creator of Sir Roger de Coverley with whom we are familiar.”
Steele has already asserted that Sir Roger’s Character is marked by singularity. He has been called also a humorist. But his singularity is tinged by some other virtues. If he were a mere humorist, then his character might have been a flat character. But actually, he is not after character. We enjoy his character in a very hilarious and suspenseful manner from the first to last of the ‘Spectator Papers’.
The outstanding qualities of Sir Roger’s character are essential. goodness, philanthropist sympathy, simplicity and the frankness of rural life and manners. He is very much sympathetic to his servants. He calls them by their name. He makes enquiries regarding their personal problem and does his best to soothe them. His servants are also devoted to him. They are ready to serve their benevolent master without making any objections. Sir Roger’s manner of rewarding his servants is also noteworthy. His benevolence and greatness forbid him to give his servants inferior or trifling gifts (like his cast clothes). If the tenement falls vacant, he immediately gives it to his faithful servant. Thus we find that Sir Roger is not only a humorist but also a man who loves man.
Sir Roger is a great lover of Religion. He expects the spiritual welfare of his parishioners. When he succeeds in the estate he becomes wondered at the negligence of the people to religion. He finds that his parishioners are not regularly the attendance in the church. Hence, he beautifies or decorates the inside of the church and gives a fine pulpit cloth. He rails at the communion table at his own expense and employs an itinerant singing master who sings in the tune of psalms goes about the country and struts people about religion. In order that the people may respond to the assembly regularly, he gives everybody of them a hassock and a common religious book. His behaviours at the church are whimsical. Sometimes he lengthens out verses and utters ‘Amen’ there or four times to the same prayer. Sometimes he stands up to see who is absent from the assembly while the others are kneeling. These, are his whim and Addison’s Papers.
It has already been said that Sir Roger possesses singularity in his character. His eccentric and whimsical nature has also been enlightened He is also a humorist. Some critics call him a caricature. Actually, caricature is a grotesque or a distortion of the representation intended to arouse only laughter and merriment. A caricature never enlists our sympathy. But we should never forget that the character of Sir Roger is a flat character. His character never seems to us monotonous. Through his character, Addison mainly laughs at those who themselves possess whims and the eccentricities of Sir Roger. Those who are pretty and pleasure-seeking like Sir Will Wimble. Will Wimble represents the younger son of the ancient family who hates commerce and trade. He passes away his time fishing, hunting and visiting from one country squire to another. Mr Honeycomb also represents the fashionable life and he has been depicted as a worshiper of fashion. Actually through the portrayal of Sir Roger’s character Addison depicts the fashionable country squires of his contemporary life. Though critics have said that the character of Sir Roger has been used for satirical purposes, it is true is a certain extent that Addison’s great care sympathy and craftsmanship are obvious in this character portrayal.
In light of the above delineation, we find that Sir Roger’s character is one of the treasures in English literature. An eminent critic says. “In nothing else has Addison shown such originality in nothing else a such skill.” Elimination of Sir Roger from the spectator Papers would be like eliminating the Prince of Denmark from ‘Hamlet’. In this connection, Legouils says, “Sir Roger is the masterpiece of Addison”. The character of Sir Roger will live as long as English literature will live.
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